“When he won the election, I hoped he would rise to the occasion. His early appointments of Rex Tillerson, Jeff Sessions, Nikki Haley, Gary Cohn, H.R. McMaster, Kelly and Mattis were encouraging. But, on balance, his conduct over the past two years, particularly his actions this month, is evidence that the president has not risen to the mantle of the office.

“It is not that all of the president’s policies have been misguided. He was right to align U.S. corporate taxes with those of global competitors, to strip out excessive regulations, to crack down on China’s unfair trade practices, to reform criminal justice and to appoint conservative judges. These are policies mainstream Republicans have promoted for years. But policies and appointments are only a part of a presidency. To a great degree, a presidency shapes the public character of the nation. A president should unite us and inspire us to follow ‘our better angels.'”

Trump defended himself this morning, tweeting:

“Here we go with Mitt Romney, but so fast! Question will be, is he a Flake? I hope not. Would much prefer that Mitt focus on Border Security and so many other things where he can be helpful. I won big, and he didn’t. He should be happy for all Republicans. Be a TEAM player & WIN!”

The whole thing seems odd.

It might play well in Utah, where Trump isn’t exactly loved by the Mormon population. However, Romney comes in ruffling feathers not just of Trump, but of his fellow Republicans.

National Review’s Jay Nordinger says Romney has broken a sort of tacit agreement wherein elected conservatives don’t talk about these things.

“… many conservatives will hate Romney for saying these things — not because they think he is wrong but because you’re not supposed to say them, and you make others look bad for not saying them,” he writes.

3. Getting specific on roads.

The Alabama Legislature’s 2019 Regular Session is still three months away.

But, most agree funding infrastructure improvements is a top – if not THE top – issue they’ll take up.

Lots has been written about infrastructure and funding mechanisms, and much more will be.

But Jeff Poor took an interesting approach in his latest writeup for YellowHammer, naming ten Alabama highway projects that could be considered if the state found ways to pay for them.

No one could call Jeff a shill for raising the gas tax. He’s as conservative as they come, and could even be called a skeptic on the gas tax.

But, he writes, if we’re going to raise a tax, we had better get something out of it.

He goes specific naming projects all over the state. Give it a read HERE.

4. Guest opinion: Pepper Bryars on Civil Asset Forfeiture.

In a guest op-ed today, Pepper Bryars of the Alabama Policy Institute makes the case for the Alabama Legislature taking another stab at civil asset forfeiture reform.

There was an effort last session to revise the laws that govern how and when law enforcement can seize property in the course of investigations, but things fell apart late in the session.

Bryars argues that the Legislature can now start fresh and take input from law enforcement and victims advocates.

Here’s an excerpt:

“Proponents of asset forfeiture contend it’s an effective tool for law enforcement and helps keep drug dealers off the streets. Critics believe it goes too far and might even create a perverse financial incentive for police departments to take property from those who cannot defend themselves in court.

“Both sides have valid points. Another complication lies in the inability to know exactly how asset forfeiture is being conducted in Alabama. Law enforcement officials say they process forfeitures ethically, while some critics believe it’s a shadowy and unaccountable practice.

According to a Muscle Shoals Police Department complaint, Speegle allegedly gave the girl a drugged beverage and delivered her to a 32-year-old man on Nov. 21 in Sheffield. It doesn’t say what drugs Speegle allegedly got in return.

Muscle Shoals and Sheffield police are working together, and the other man could face charges.